Entertainment

DropTag App Keeps Track of Damaged Packages

There's much anticipation that comes with receiving a package. But sometimes excitement turns to disappointment when you finally get your parcel, only to discover it's been damaged.

Product development firm Cambridge Consultants developed a new method of keeping track of your shipment using a sensor system and app. DropTag uses Bluetooth low energy to connect the sensor to your smartphone, so the condition of your package can be monitored within a 150-foot range.

The app will automatically alert you if the box has been mishandled. The status changes quickly from "well handled" to "dropped," and a live graph plots the parcel's movements. If your deliverer happens to shake the box, a seismograph-like chart can track the activity. Check out the video, above, for more.

"The explosion in Internet shopping has led to a huge increase in the number of parcel deliveries," explains Tom Lawrie-Fussey, Cambridge Consultants' business development manager. " ... Existing parcel condition monitoring systems tend to be quite basic, mechanical sensors — or very expensive data loggers."

The company says the tracking device can be used for both distributors and customers, and its simple construction may make it possible for re-use. Distributors can use DropTag in warehouses to automatically check packages at each stage and ensure quick response time to any incident.

Developers are now working on improving the sensor to provide details on exactly what happened to the package and when, and are looking into potential temperature sensors for the food and pharmaceutical deliveries.

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